Mobile TV: Look who's watching now.

Mobile TV: Look who’s watching now – Hosted by Denton Wilde Sapte, LLP

I attended this same event last year – but must say that this year was considerably different. The focus of this event was only limitedly about Mobile TV – but seemed much more focused on mobile content in general.

Ingrid Silver (featured with her stunning new business card holder!) is the brains behind the event and she and her team bring considerable gravitas to the space. A key legal topic for the event is the Audiovisual Media Services Director (AMS Directive) and what impact this will have on the mobile sector.

Here are some of the highlights that I took from the event:

• Mobile content companies are still deeply connected to the mobile network operators.

Although we have seen recent changes in the industry towards flat rate data and elimination of walled gardens, mobile content owners are still focused on operator portals as the way to reach consumers. This is understandable, but an unhealthy and unsustainable relationship with huge opportunity for change in the next 18-24 months. If you are a mobile content company and your primary go-to-market strategy is to get to the top of the operator portal then I wish you luck – but I’m certainly not going to invest in your company.

And let’s be clear. Any industry association for content which believes it has a responsibility to deliver content over-the-air in order to keep the mobile network operators happy – well – they should have their heads (and their charter’s) examined. The most important focus is to ensure monetized distribution of content to the broadest possible base of consumers – regardless of delivery means.


• The future of mobile content is direct to consumer marketing which crosses all operators and takes advantage of flat rate mobile data and open access to the mobile Internet.

Mobile network operators will continue to play a key role in providing reliable access to content – but more importantly – in providing access to key subscriber information relating to device type, presence and availability and billing. ( Location was intentionally left out of that list!)


• Broadcast rights – Who knew it would be so messy? - The lawyers of course!

I had not thought about the concept of broadcast rights across the mobile channel. One comment suggested that nearly 3,000 individual contracts would have to be altered in order to secure the appropriate rights to broadcast content over the mobile channel. That is a HUGE undertaking. And the fact that this has not yet been finished leaves a great set of opportunities for those who are developing content today with mobile as a channel in mind. This applies largely to mobile TV – but also mobile video clips and other mobile content.

Buzz phrases:

• Dip in – Dip out. This is the concept which describes how consumers access content from their mobile devices. It isn’t a sustained access – it’s 3 minutes here and 2 minutes there. Dipping in and out of the content that is relevant to them at that moment.


• Side-Loading: The transfer of content to or from a mobile device without using an over-the-air method. Examples are Bluetooth transfer and transfer of files/content via cables to a personal computer.

Summary:

If I look at “who’s watching now.” – the answer is really only a very marginal number of people more than were watching before. They are watching mobile TV for very brief periods (dip in – dip out) and currently at a cost that is throttling the industry. What is more interesting is the increase in interest across the entire mobile content value chain as was evidenced by the broad range of industry attendance at the event.

As one panellist said, “Mobile is still a toddler.” and has some time to go and grow before becoming a full media, marketing and delivery channel.

Many thanks to Ingrid Silver and Denton Wilde Sapte for hosting this event. I look forward to future events!